BUCCOS Liriano and NATS Strasburg play in "My STUFF is better than your STUFF"....BUCCOS prevail but not after Hitters were worried about getting sent back to the FARM...A CUP of JOE in the SHOW Report #StayInYourSeatForThisOne!

The Pirates took a chance on LHP Francisco Liriano and is has paid off. The Nats lose this one but could the Strasburg "Indicator Light" was green and that's an excellent sign moving forward.

The Pittsburgh Pirates beat the Nats 4-2 and three of those four were tallied in the top half of the ninth with the Nats up 2-1. Before all that drama there was no drama at the dish as both Liriano and Starsburg stifled hitters at the dish for some eight innings. The only bump in the road for either pitcher was Starsburg giving up a solo shot to Buccos All-Star Pedro Alvarez in the 2nd frame.

The Buccos Liriano was dealing as he went 7 2/3 innings allowing two hits and striking out eight issuing three free passes and no runs. Vintage Liriano it was and I bet you he had a Twinkies Jersey on or Twinkies Boxers on as he use to dominate for the Twins like this.

Strasburg was up to the task as well as he went eight innings strong allowing that one run on two hits as he sent back four innings of Pirates Hitters thinking, "S2 is back in Nats Park". He left only for Nats Reliever Drew Storen to give up all three runs in the 9th and pitched 2/3 of the inning as "S2" takes the loss.

The Nats have lost their sixth straight and that is past cause for concern. Both "S2" and "G2"...Strasburg and Gonzalez couldn't stop the Nats bleeding and the Pirates are in a dead heap to catch them a Redbirds or two or three. Pirates a 1 1/2 back in the NL Central and the Nats are nine back in the NL East including five games under .500.